12 April 2012

If playing Adriano, Barça is not lost: in the 32 matches in which they performed this season the versatile Brazilian side, the team azulgrana has added 25 wins, the last 4-0 at Getafe in La Liga, and 7 draws.

In the Liga BBVA 'Adri' has been a talisman in 20 games, sold off 15 wins and 5 'tables'; apart has played 6 matches of Champions (5 wins / draw), 2 cup (2 wins), both of Spain Supercup (2-2/3-2), the European Super Cup (2-0) and the semis of the Club World Cup, which scored two goals against Al-Sadd (0-4).

With his performance against 'Geta' Adriano Correia and takes more than a match played in the 2010-11 season, the first faced with Barça after being signed to Sevilla.

Pep Guardiola has ranked as fullback, interior and even as far as appealing to the versatility that characterizes international 'canarinho' and has attracted interest from Bayern and Inter, among other 'big' European football. Played himself, as an azulgrana contract until June 2014, expressed his desire to continue in Barcelona. (via MD)

Villa reckons that in the league: “the only thing we can do is to just keep on winning our games and see what happens”.

On Sunday it will be exactly four months since David Villa broke his leg in the semi final of the World Club Cup in Japan, but he is recovering well and today posted a photo on his Twitter account (@Guaje7Villa) of a photo on top of La Mola – a 3,000 foot mountain just outside of Barcelona – with Sergio Busquets , trainer Emili Ricart and Pepe Costa of the . After the climb, Villa took part in a charity event where he explained that it wasn’t the first time he’d been up the mountain” but today I took the toughest route”.

David Villa was clearly happy at the progress he is making, claiming: “my leg is getting better and we are setting goals for my full recovery”, even though he knows that patience and time are vital to get over his serious injury.

Villa also explained that his injury has meant he is watching more football than ever and he believes that Barça’s chances in the league depend on keeping up their winning run: “we just have to keep winning games and we’ll see what happens”.

Support for the 8th edition of the Llibre Solidari

David Villa later attended an event for the Llibre Solidari, which contains stories written by Catalan sports writers and the proceeds from which will go to the Espai Jove of the Hospital Infantil Sant Joan de Déu. The striker’s photo is on the cover of the book, taking over from previous Barça players and coaches who have supported the initiative including Iniesta, Guardiola, Xavi, Messi, Rijkaard, De la Peña, Puyol and Eto'o. (via FCBarcelona.com)

The representative of Eric Abidal, David Venditelli explained that the news received so far are "hopeful".

"We know that the next few hours will be vital if all goes well. We have received with a big smile. Eric has asked me to thank all Catalans and the Spanish people and the world because it has received messages of support from around the world wishing to recover, "said the agent in a statement to TV3 after visiting the player in the Hospital Clinic. (via SPORT)

Betis coach wanted to show their support for Abidal after the operation he underwent Tuesday.

"Much encouragement and strength to Abidal.we'll see you to play soon friend," said Betis coach. The Spaniard was a nice gesture to the French and posed smiling with a Barça shirt with the number 22. (via SPORT)

The right winger can win three league titles in 2012: began in Cadete A, was consolidated in the Juvenil B and debuted brilliantly in A.
Of Malian origin, is vertical and very fast: it is easily rivals and when he wins the baseline focus with criteria and technical.

Remember the case of Leo Messi, who in his passage through the azulgrana youth teams he played on three different computers in the same season? Their case is not unique, and more and more promises will hardly know jumping categories. The latter is Adama Traoré, The cadete A right wing has already been consolidated in the Juvenil B and in January of this year with the Juvenil A.

Adama's parents are from Mali, but the young azulgrana footballer is L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, though born in Barcelona, very near the Camp Nou, in Maternitat, the January 25, 1996. With nine years, and joined the youth ranks to play in Benjamin, where he met with three of its current partners, Fran Álvarez, Moustapha Seck and Álex Corredera, and now has seven seasons as an azulgrana, where he has played under the orders Jordi Condom , Albert Puig and Andrés Carrasco twice, Fran Artiga and now Quique Alvarez.

While Adama has been stressing on all computers, has exploded this season. It has been shown in many games with the Cadete A and has also excelled when played with the Juvenil B Garcia Pimienta. And last January 15 when he debuted with the A Òscar Garcia, two assists to Dongou in sixteen minutes played against Reus (4-0). He is currently injured, drag a groin injury.

Adama, as their technicians have disciplined and hardworking guy, especially outstanding in one on one. Play very open, very upright and goes with ease rivals thanks to its extraordinary speed. And when it reaches the bottom line, centered with discretion and good technique. Among their buts, its intermittency. It is active mainly when she gets the ball to the feet. The future will demand more. (via MD)

The wife of Eric Abidal, Hayet, has issued a first statement on the status of FC Barcelona.

In the brief statement, the player's wife explained that "I am Hayet Abidal, Eric's wife. I write today in his Facebook page because it has asked me. Its operation, as well as his cousin Gerard, took place yesterday in Barcelona and now all is well. I would like to thank you all for your messages, your support and all the strength that transmitís. Thank you. Hayet Abidal. "

These are the first news we have of the French player's operation, which ran for nearly 10 hours Tuesday in Barcelona. So far neither the FC Barcelona and the Hospital Clinic have made no statement. (via SPORT)

José Manuel Silva Cardinal, one of the Linieres of Inter - Barça 2010, is being investigated for bribery.

The linesman Portuguese Jose Manuel Silva Cardinal, was one of the assistants in Olegario Benquerença's match with FC at the Giuseppe Meazza against Inter Milan and lost 3-1 with a goal from Diego Milito clear offside , which eventually led to the elimination of Barça, after the 2-1 in the Camp Nou.

Silva Cardinal, is now under judicial investigation for possible bribery, since, anonymously, Sporting Lisbon has received a notification of a bank transfer of 2,000 Euro to the linesman, dated the day before the Cup match between Sporting and Maritimo. Cardinal finally adjudicated not why the meeting was removed from that game, picked up 'A Bola'.

Sporting president, Godinho Lopes, said in a press conference that "We are researching and why it is kept secret and we can not say the things you've said." (via SPORT)

The Dutch player, after almost seven months on the injury list, has recovered from his ACL injury.

Ibrahim Afellay received the news that he’s been eagerly awaiting for most of the season this Wednesday afternoon. The Club’s Medical Services gave the Dutchman medical clearance to play after being injured for 6 months and 21 days. The player is back in Josep Guardiola’s team ahead of the most decisive stretch of the season.

Dr. Ramon Cugat and Dr. Ricard Pruna conducted surgery on the Dutchman, who tore his ACL in his left knee on September 22nd, on October 3rd. The player started his recovery process soon there after.

On March 18, Afellay left his individualized recovery plan in the gym behind for his final recovery phase on the football pitch. It was on this day that the player started to train with his teammates. Three weeks later, days after his birthday, the Dutchman was given the best birthday present of all: medical clearance to play with his team. (via FCBarcelona.com)

Good news for FC Barcelona. Two of the team’s strikers, Alexis Sánchez and Pedro Rodríguez, are back in the business of scoring goals as Barça gets ready to face the most decisive stretch of the season. Yesterday, against Getafe, was the first time this season that both players netted for FC Barcelona in the same game.

In Pedro’s case, it’s been a while since the Spaniard scored in two consecutive matches. In fact, it’s been more than a year. The last time Barça’s striker managed to score in back-to-back games was against Racing (Liga), Almería (Cup) and Hércules (Liga), in February 2011. With the goal against Zaragoza and the yesterday’s goal against Getafe, the striker has shown that he’s back on form. His goal-scoring tally this season currently sits at nine with at least nine matches still to be played.

Pedro’s goals have been decisive for FC Barcelona. It was the Spaniard that opened up the scoring in the Champions League final in Wembley, he forced overtime in the Club World Cup in 2009, and he secured passage for Barça to the semifinals of the King’s Cup in the quarterfinal return leg against Real Madrid.

Alexis has also recovered his goal-scoring form. Before yesterday’s match, the Chilean hadn’t scored in almost two months - since the Bayer Leverkusen-Barça game (1-3), where he scored twice. In fact, Alexis has managed to score three braces this season, his first was against Rayo Vallecano (4-0) at the Camp Nou.

The Chilean has scored 13 goals this season; 8 at the Camp Nou and 5 away from home. Of these 13 goals, 5 of them were go-ahead goals. (via FCBarcelona.com)